Benilde-St. Margaret’s is excited to introduce 10 new faculty members this year.

Josh Belanger will be teaching junior high Basic Literature and Life Skills, having previously taught for six years at Anoka High School. He holds a B.S. in Special Education from Winona State University and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Concordia University-St. Paul. He and his wife (whom he met when she began teaching at his school in 2007) live in Anoka on the Rum River. They have a 2-year-old Weimaraner named Rummy (named after the river). Josh has coached football and strength training for the last six years at Anoka High, and has also coached track and lacrosse.

Katie Belanger (yes, the one previously referenced as Josh’s wife) will be teaching senior high English. She has a B.A. in English literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and both an M.A. and a Teaching Licensure in Communication Arts & Literature from the University of Minnesota -Twin Cities. Prior to her four years of teaching experience, Katie worked in book publishing in New York City and Minneapolis. Originally from Wisconsin, she’s a Badger fan at heart and loves the outdoors. Katie is also a registered yoga instructor and teaches Vinyasa flow in both Anoka  and downtown Minneapolis.

A familiar Red Knight already, Kristin Gilbertson is BSM’s athletic trainer and will now also be an English and math learning specialist in the junior high. She graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1995 with a B.S.Ed. in English and athletic training and received her M.A. from the University of Minnesota in 1997 in kinesiology. In 2003, she received a teaching license from St. Cloud State in Special Education and taught for six years at Cooper High School and Osseo Senior High. Kristin has 17 years of experience as an athletic trainer, three of which are with BSM. She admits that she’s both a Twins’ fan and a soccer mom.

Christine Kinney will be teaching art in both the junior and senior high. She earned a B.A.in studio art & K-12 art education from St. Olaf College, in 2008. She has taught art at Lakeville South High School (spring 2009-2011) and for the summer session at Phillips Exeter Academy, in New Hampshire, since 2007. Christine is originally from the small town of Stayton, Oregon. Yet, she and both of her siblings ended up going to school in Northfield, Minnesota, (either at Carleton or St. Olaf) with no prior affiliation to the schools or the town. None had ever been to this state before departing for college, and Christine is now the lone Minnesotan of the bunch.

Say “hola” to Matt McMerty-Brummer, who will be teaching Spanish in the senior high. Matt holds a B.A. from Notre Dame in Spanish and political science, as well as an M.Ed from Notre Dame. He is also in the process of becoming an education specialist in educational leadership from Minnesota State University-Moorhead. He has nine years of teaching experience, with the most recent being at the Mazapan School in Honduras. He and his family just relocated to the United States after spending seven years with the Farm of the Child Orphanage in Honduras. (BSM interviewed Matt for this position via Skype.) Matt and his wife have five children, one of whom, Charlie, will begin at BSM as a 7th grader this year.

Alyson Moore (’01) will be teaching 7th grade English and 8th grade history. She has a B.A. in psychology from DePaul University, and an M.Ed from Loyola University-Chicago, and is currently working on additional licensure in communication arts and literature from Hamline University. Prior to coming to Minnesota, she taught for a year at Glenn F. Burton Elementary School in Glendale, Arizona. Alyson is certified to teach yoga and says that she loves to bake.

Also teaching junior high English this year will be Callianne Olson. She earned her B.A. in English/communication arts and literature education from St. Olaf College in 2010, and is excited to kick off her teaching career as a Red Knight. During her junior year of college, she attended the University of Aberdeen in Aberdeen, Scotland, to study British literature. She also played soccer for 16 years, including four at Holy Angels, but admits that she’s now switched allegiances.

Joe Pedersen will soon be learning if the exciting stories he has heard about BSM are true. Joe is joining the faith formation department—which includes Joe’s brother-in-law, Zach Zeckser—as a theology teacher. Joe received a B.A. in philosophy and theology from Notre Dame, and continued there for his M.A. in theology. He recently served with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis with the Young Adult and College Ministry Program.

John Sabol is the new high school business teacher. Although this will be his first year teaching, he worked for five years in the financial markets. He earned a B.A. in finance from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and recently received an M.A. in education from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. John grew up in Bloomington and attended Nativity of Mary and Jefferson High School. He also shares that he has hiked along the Great Wall of China, is an Eagle Scout, and in 1997, was named the “best bagger” at Lunds in Bloomington.

Another art department addition this year is Brad Zahler, who will teach both junior and senior high classes. He completed his undergraduate degree in Art Education at the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2002, and received an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from St. Catherine University in 2010. His seven years of teaching experience were at Renville, Princeton and Zimmerman. Brad currently lives in Zimmerman with his wife, Juli; two sons, Reed and Bode; and baby girl, Kyra. Besides the obvious painting and drawing hobbies, Brad loves fishing, hunting, and playing ball with his kids.  He also enjoys potatoes on pizza, the smell of fresh cut grass, and for some reason, feels he would come away victorious if he ever got the opportunity to wrestle a live bear.

Also, two new staff members began during the summer. Kate Kuffel Hamill is the Associate Director of Admissions. She is a 1996 BSM alum and previously taught at St. John the Baptist in Excelsior. Kate is a third-generation BSM graduate. Her grandmother, Deloris Keiffer, graduated from SMA in 1932; her mother  Rita McHugo is a 1963 SMA alumna, and  father  Ed Kuffel  is from the Benilde High School Class of 1965. Kate and her husband, Tim, have three kids and live in Deephaven.

Rachel Kuzma Olson began as an Associate Director of Alumni Relations in June. During her BSM senior year in 1993, Rachel was named the Athena Award winner and a President’s Award recipient. She brings experience in pharmaceutical sales and printing/advertising and is excited to be back at BSM, reconnecting with fellow alumni. She and her husband, Chris, have three children, and together, the Olsons enjoy the outdoors. Rachel also has a fondness for Hot Tamales and Peanut M&Ms.

In addition, Dave Platt will be taking on new responsibilities in the junior high, adding the title of Assistant Principal to his dean duties.

Please help us welcome all of these new members of our community!